The present invention relates to a luggage identification tag and more particularly pertains to a tag adapted for use in luggage shipments.
A luggage tag can help users accurately identify their own luggage, and when a user encounters a luggage loss, a luggage tag can help others to contact the user so that the luggage can be returned to the owner. Therefore, almost all people will attach a luggage tag to their luggage, particularly luggage for shipments, and state their name, address and even their contact phone number on the luggage tag to facilitate contact when a luggage is lost.
In general, airlines and freight companies provide free tags for users to write their contact information thereon, and then attach tags to luggage. To facilitate writing, these tags are mostly made of paper. As to reduce cost, tags are of rough construction. Most of the tags have a predisposed small aperture thereon for a rubber string, a metal string, or a cotton string and so on to pass through, so that users could use a rubber string and so on to attach the tag to a luggage. Tags of this rough construction are ripped off very easily. As such, many are lost in transportation processes. Even for those tags which have not been ripped off, they are mostly damaged, soiled, or on which writings become blurred and illegible due to water vapor, causing them to lose their identification function. Furthermore, contact information on these tags is completely exposed and very easily accessed by other people for promotion use, or even stolen by unlawful persons. Therefore, the privacy of users actually lacks protection.
Some airlines provide a tag strip in a long-strip shape with a locking slit disposed towards one end and a locking tongue disposed at the other end. Users write contact information on the body of the tag strip, then loop the tag strip to a luggage, and have the locking tongue passed through and locked up at the locking slit. This tag strip is usually made of a thin plastic on which people can write. However, a water-base or oil-base pen is required for writing, therefore it is not so convenient, and writings also easily become blurred and illegible due to water vapor. This tag strip is formed as an integrated body so it is more rigid than the aforementioned tags but there is still a chance for the tag to get detached. Furthermore, the strip for writing contact information is narrower, so it is more difficult for writing and also the contact information is completely exposed.
The prior art also teaches a luggage tag made of soft plastic, which is publicly known and publicly used. It comprises a transparent soft plastic case and a plastic locking strap. One side of the soft plastic case is an opening. Users can insert a paper card filled out with contact information into the soft plastic case, then pass the plastic locking strap through a predisposed aperture on one side of the soft plastic case. One end of the plastic locking strap has a locking element and the other end has a plurality of locking apertures. The locking element has a small hook which can be engaged with any of the locking apertures. Users can attach the soft plastic case to a luggage by means of engaging the locking element at one end with the locking aperture at the other end of the plastic locking strap. Users can directly engage a business name card into the soft plastic case and save the writing troubles, and can also change cards where necessary, so it is more convenient and durable than the aforesaid tags and tag strips. The prior art also teaches some improved soft plastic cases which are disposed with a foldable cover for covering contact information and thereby avoiding direct exposure of contact information. However, a press button is required for the engagement and disengagement of the foldable cover, thereby increasing the manufacturing cost. As to reduce cost, a non-transparent material is being used for the soft plastic case. The plastic locking strap is thus required to be released for taking out a card or a paper card when viewing contact information, and so it is not very convenient for use. Besides, depending on the soft plastic material being used, this luggage tag made of soft plastic is still easily damaged and detached.
The prior art also provides a luggage tag made of leather which is commonly used by the general public. It mainly comprises a leather case and a leather locking strap, the construction of which is basically the same as the luggage tag made of soft plastic. As a leather material is non-transparent, one face of the body of the leather case is disposed with a transparent plastic sheet. Users can insert a paper card filled out with contact information or directly insert a business name card into the leather case, so contact information can be seen on the face of the transparent plastic sheet. As they are made with non-transparent leather, some luggage tags made of leather have a leather-made cover disposed on the face of the transparent sheet. One side of the cover is securely connected with the leather case, the other three sides are not connected with the leather case and the cover sufficiently covers the surface of the transparent plastic sheet so that contact information is not directly exposed. When users are required to view contact information, they can lift up the cover to see the contact information. This luggage tag made of leather is not that easily damaged, detached in comparison with the aforementioned luggage tags, contact information is not completely exposed too. However, leather increases the raw material cost and more manufacturing processes are required in luggage tags made of leather, thereby increasing the manufacturing cost. Furthermore, leather is not water resistant and gets moldy easily, thereby affecting the external appearance. Luggage tags made of leather are practically more difficult for cleaning and maintenance. Furthermore, the leather-made cover will warp and even roll up after being in use for a long time, resulting in contact information being directly exposed.
The prior art further provides other luggage tags made of hard plastic or metal. Their construction is basically the same as that of the luggage tags made of soft plastic or leather, but one face of the body is a transparent plastic sheet so that contact information can conveniently be viewed from the face of the transparent plastic sheet. However, in general, contact information is still completely exposed. For those with a movable covering device, it is not that convenient for use or the manufacturing cost is too high.
Therefore, users are still anticipating a luggage tag which is convenient for use, for changing cards, for cleaning and maintenance, is low in manufacturing cost, and contact information is not directly exposed, thereby avoiding information being easily accessed by other people for promotion use, or stolen by unlawful people, which may cause nuisance to users.